Freedom and Prosperity
Freedom and Prosperity is an episode of Shorts in Back in Action: Alien Universe. Story 'Part I' open on a street corner where a jewelry store with a white exterior stands at this hour of the night, just nearing closing. A redheaded woman in denim jeans, a red t-shirt, and black flats equipped with a luxurious white Kyael Mors bag steps into the store, with a blonde, partially gray at the back, woman in a blue suit jacket and long skirt preparing to leave the building. Blonde Woman (working the counter): I'm sorry, ma'am, we're right about to close. Redheaded Woman: Don't worry, I'll be quick. Blonde Woman: Alright. What from our selection would you like to purchase? We have-- Redheaded Woman: All of it. Blonde Woman: Excuse me? Redheaded Woman: I'd like to purchase everything. Blonde Woman (deadpan): Really? In a normal tone: Would you care to show the money you'll be using to pay for this substantial transaction? Redheaded Woman: Sorry, I won't be paying with cash. Blonde Woman: Well, I'm sorry, too. We don't accept checks. Redheaded Woman: I won't be paying with checks either. Blonde Woman: Oh, please, don't tell me this is a-- The front doors are thrown open as two men walk in. One wears an nearly all-black uniform that covers his torso, legs, and even shoes. His arms, while featuring black, also sport orange stripes in the interchanging patterns. He's slim, his skin is incomparably pale, his permanently gaping mouth reveals his poor hygiene, and beside the eyebrows that on the left side of his face push down on and partially conceal his otherwise normal eye are the two only black hairs he has. The other man is of great stature, though the first is just as tall. He bears resemblance to the first man with his same tone of skin, though he lacks the oddities on his face and replaces the slender figure with a brawny one that's more prominent from the waist up. He also presents a small section of hair that comes in two shades of olive green and creates a chipped toenail-like design. His attire is similar to the first male's, though his stripes are gray and a single large stripe appears at the stomach connected to a thin vertical line at the middle that reaches up to his collar. Slim, Pale Man (somewhat high, scratchy voice): This is a stick-up! Give us all the jewels! Blonde Woman: I don't have time for this. She swiftly removes a pistol from her purse which she frantically moves back and forth between directing at the redhead before her, and the two choleric-seeming robbers at the door. Step out of the building; I'm not afraid to fire another shot. Brawny, Pale Man (somewhat deep voice; obviously dim): Hehehe, a girl neva' shoots a gun. Redheaded Woman: Hey! Blonde Woman: I'll have you know I was Detective Lieutenant until I-- The redheaded woman detaches what appears to be a mask from her face, transforming her into a woman of similar skin tone as the two males at the door, attaching four black orbs to points at the end of her red hair, and adopting a new uniform for the woman that resembles the slim male's with yellow stripes on the arms instead of orange and accentuating her more feminine details. With her hair now twirling at her whim, she sends the locks for the ex-detective's pistol, which fires at one of the hairs only to miss as they widen to dodge. The superpowered member of the robbers' gang grabs the pistol with her hair and holds it above her head pointed at the ex-detective. Redheaded Woman: Hands up. The blonde woman's dull expression incurs a smart mouth drifting downwards as she raises her hands. AB, break it. Slim, Pale Man/AB: Ready. He inhales greatly, his cheeks puffing up to bubbles. With the redhead still watching the woman at the counter, the man exhales an olive green ball of acid as she tosses the fun with her hair at him. The pistol and the slime ball interact, and afterward the ball heads for the floor, slowly melting through parts of it leaving burned and melted pieces of the gun. Now, give us the stuff before you end up like your gun. Redheaded Woman: Oh, crap, that brat's here. AB: What?! Boss said he wouldn't be here! AB and the redhead are now fixated on the broken-down tan RV outside. A bright green flash can be seen occurring inside, with the side rear passenger door opening, and what appears to be Frankenstein's monster emerges, though height, skin color, and even the look of his face soon distinguish him from the cliche. Visible are a couple of coils extending out of his upper back, several random bolts with green lines along their surfaces, black pants connected to his boots of the same color with green lines on the sides of them, and a white belt with a prominently white Omnitrix symbol on it. The alien, best known as Benvicktor, steps up to the entrance of the store, standing out there as he speaks. Benvicktor: Really, guys? You pick the same town as me on the same weekend that everyone always tries to travel, and you expect to get away with this? AB: Hey, we didn't expect to run into you. You think we'd do this on purpose? In the background, the ex-detective is seen crouching down and jumping onto her hands, flipping her feet in the air in an attempt to attack the redhead, who catches her leg with one hand then with her hair. With her hair, the ex-detective is tossed away toward Benvicktor. He catches her but not without being pushed onto his back with her on top. When he attempts to get up, he finds the lady unconscious. Benvicktor: Old age really does a number on you. He turns over so she lightly slides of his body, then picks her up and runs through several of AB's slime projectiles to get to the RV, the Rustbucket, open the door and stop her inside. He then turns to the trio. When I'm done here, you two are going away for a long time...I think. Now, who's first? Frightwig? Thumbskull? Acid Breath? Thumbskull, the brawny male, immediately rushes toward him. Ah, the smart one always goes first! Benvicktor straightens his hands and directs them at Thumbskull. Electricity surges through his body starting at the tip of his coils and running through his chests into his arms down to his hands and finally out through his fingertips. The surge joins with Thumbskull, who ceases his charge into Benvicktor after the physical fallout from the attack causes him to fall to his knees and generally grip his body tightly in pain. Brawny, Pale Man/Thumbskull: Gah, make it stop! Benvicktor: C'mon, guys, who's next? I got to catch some Zs sometime. Quickly after being knocked down, Thumbskull rises back up to his feet. Benvicktor takes a good look at his face which has adopted black lightning-like tattoos that run underneath and above each eye since the last time he checked. Also changed are his eyes' actual appearance, as they have lost everything that wasn't the sclera. While Benvicktor squints and wonders how this had occurred, Thumbskull repeats his earlier charge at him, completely ignoring the ball of green energy around him. To defend himself, Benvicktor utilizes quick thinking and rears the front bumper off of the closeby Rustbucket. Sorry, Grandpa; I'll have Upgrade fix that later! 'Benvicktor holds the front bumper up in front of him as Thumbskull arrives at him, shielding himself from his attack. As the brute man continues to try and push forward, Benvicktor's superior strength holds him back, and soon, electromagnetism comes in handy. With the oddly colored electricity he siphons from around Thumbskull, Benvicktor pushes the bumper, which is held perfectly at the waist of Thumbskull's body at a 90-degree angle, towards the back wall of the jeweler, trapping him. Upon impact with the wall, Thumbskull's face reverts to normal and his head drops as he falls unconscious once more. Quickly, Frightwig, the now guiseless woman, and the string-thin Acid Breath, or "AB," take a similar approach to attacking Benvicktor, as the former's face too adopts dark insignias while abandoning their pupils and irises. Frightwig and Acid Breath dash at Ben, the first in front of the other. As Benvicktor sends an electric ring at the woman in front, she ducks, her face swiftly losing her new tattoos as the facial transformation is transferred to Acid Breath behind her. He opens his mouth wide, swallowing the electric ring. A moment later he regurgitates the energy inside of a ball of acid Benvicktor's way. The hero attempts to manipulate the power inside to hopefully redirect the entire ball back to its creator, but he instead creates a miniature explosion which drops Acid Breath, Frightwig, and Benvicktor all down to the ground. Heard as Benvicktor attempts to get up are the flips and footsteps of an approaching Frightwig. She soon stands over Benvicktor with a regular face, albeit scarred and cut by the blast. She backs up out of view and in moments Benvicktor is being reeled up from the ground into the air, stiffened by the constriction of Frightwig's snake-like hair that ends in a large black orb. Benvicktor looks down at her now, seeing that in the instant she'd walked away, she had been possessed by whatever took control of Acid Breath and Thumbskull before her. Before Benvicktor can get a word out about the recurring factor, Frightwig speaks. Frightwig (in a faint, whisper of a voice, not her own): Hello, Tennyson. Benvicktor (eyes almost bulging in astonishment): Ghostfreak?! Benvicktor begins early efforts to break free of the fortified confinement, but Frightwig's hair was certainly a great match for any matter of foe. In his wriggling and other attempts, the alien parasite simply laughs from within Frightwig's body. Frightwig (under Ghostfreak/Zs'Skayr's control): Wriggle, boy. Try to break free; you never will. Benvicktor (still struggling): Why are you just letting me float here? Frightwig (under Zs'Skayr's control): Still not obvious? I'm waiting out the clock, Tennyson. You won't escape this time. Benvicktor: Oh, yeah? Zs'Skayr, within Frightwig's body, continues to laugh haughtily as Benvicktor squirms and struggles, but he soon stops. He grins as the alien's guffaw endures uninterrupted, and soon Benvicktor unleashes a jolt of energy that frizzes Frightwig's hair. Her pupils and irises return -- though her tattoos remain -- as her personality and control does. Frightwig: My hair! Frightwig quickly pulls her hair back, unknowingly letting Benvicktor down onto the ground allowing him to escape as she pulls out a mirror and fearfully observes her sudden afro. Zs'Skayr quickly escapes from Frightwig's body, seeking full control of his own body. With this, Frightwig's tattoos are removed. Zs'Skayr: You think you've won? You're still going to change back, boy. And I'll be right here to catch you when you do. Benvicktor: Not if I leave the place. Reusing electromagnetism, he sends a line of electricity to the Rustbucket's removed front bumper and pulls it back as a string would a yo-yo. On the recoil, it hits Frightwig on the head and she instantaneously falls unconscious. It also flies through Zs'Skayr, who becomes intangible to dodge. Benvicktor then sends the bumper back, collecting the downed Acid Breath and Frightwig on the way and sticking them together with Thumbskull to the back wall. Zs'Skayr: You've still got me to deal with. Benvicktor: Oh, I know. To himself: Let's just hope this works. Benvicktor reaches his right index finger to the Omnitrix on his belt and sends a small spark to it at the core. He continues to do this until the hourglass ultimately starts flashing red. He then removes his finger and runs into the jeweler. Zs'Skayr: At last! Zs'Skayr races after Benvicktor into the jeweler, when Benvicktor suddenly stops in the middle of the building and turns back to Zs'Skayr, the Omnitrix actively beeping and ticking down to its timeout, though it seems to be taking longer than usual. The halt incites a devilishly inspiring grin on the alien's face. Giving up? Benvicktor (aloud): No, but you will. 3. 2. Zs'Skayr's grin drops. 1. Benvicktor's Omnitrix symbol abruptly stops flashing and beeping, much to Zs'Skayr's dismay but also bringing a raised brow to Benvicktor's face, but it does not end there. The ghost's arms suddenly extend and his tail stiffens up as he begins to burn up. As he is converted to ash in the light: GAAAH, IT'S SO BRIIIGHT. Zs'Skayr's entire body becomes a matte-like black as his ashes are spread across the room. And that's how you win. He races out of the place and into the Rustbucket, slamming it shut after entering. Grandpa, we need to go, like, now! Not sure how much longer the Omnitrix's gonna hold, and Ghostfreak's here, too! Max, perched in the driver's seat, slowly turns his head around to face Benvicktor, revealing the tattoos the circus freaks previously bore. Benvicktor's eyes widen once more. Max (under Zs'Skayr's control; in Zs'Skayr's voice): I know. We pan quickly to the rounded passenger couch near the rear entrance, where a 12-year-old Gwen Tennyson screams and swiftly launches a small orb of mana at Max's head. Zs'Skayr grins using Max's face and escapes the body before the attack is made. Max is seen regaining consciousness and swiftly responding to the sight of the energy, ducking his head and leaving the bubble to hit the bare space between the driver window and the windshield. Zs'Skayr floats with his back hunched in the front seat. Zs'Skayr: Looks like the little one's learned a couple new tricks. Gwen: 'Little one?!' Unsqueira Despariot! An even smaller orb of mana is sent Zs'Skayr's way, which increases in size as it heads his way. For some reason, he is unable to avoid the attack. His tangibility and visibility is constant and unchanging, and soon the ball surrounds Zs'Skayr and keeps him in one place. Gwen then maneuvers, with the motions of her hands, Zs'Skayr in his intangible ball out of the Rustbucket and outside to in front of the jeweler. Go, Grandpa! Benvicktor: Wait, what about the lady? Max: We'll drop her off at a local hospital. Benvicktor nods in response, and we pan outside to a view of the Rustbucket from the rear. After a bit of screeching and drifting, it takes off down the main road beside the jeweler, passing a set of oncoming local law enforcement vehicles, all of their sirens blaring. We pan back into the vehicle with Benvicktor speaking to Max. Benvicktor: I don't think it makes sense, Grandpa. Max: What doesn't? Benvicktor: The fact that Ghostfreak just keeps coming back, year after year. Don't aliens have jails? Max: Hmm...it's definitely not a foreign concept, Ben; the Plumbers are the ones with control of alien criminals and where they go for punishment. Benvicktor: So when are you gonna put him behind bars or something? Max: I don't know, but it's definitely something worth put attention to, Ben. I'll bring it up and hopefully get this little Ectonurite problem out of our hair. transition to a view of Max chatting with other Magisters at a meeting table. While we can't hear the conversation, we can observe the various uniforms in use. Max has the most distinction, being an older, light blue variant used by the human Plumbers before they integrated with the galactic law enforcers. After Max completes a monologue, we see several of the Magisters nodding in response and raising a thumb -- or any comparable appendage. We look to the person at the head of the table, a person in armor that protects even their face, as he throws his fist down at the table to complete the action. We pan up to a large monitor behind him which now displays a full-body image of Zs'Skayr against a black backdrop. We move to another location just weeks in the future where the Circus Freaks attack again. The Plumbers swoop into what appears to have been a trap to get them to steal fake jewels, resulting in Zs'Skayr's arrest by neutralizing his abilities and stuffing him into a cube where a significant light keeps him down without reducing him to ash which he can regenerate from later. The Circus Freaks are left tied up behind, and the police arrive minutes later after the Plumbers make a call. We fast-forward even further, as a truck that was used to transport Zs'Skayr's cube finds its way to the middle of a desert. It stops there, and a Plumber ship picks up the cube and lifts it off into space. Even later, we find ourselves dead in the middle of space, where the cube is released and an extra piece is attached for security. Two Plumbers are left to station and monitor the area as the rest of the ship leaves. We move back down to Earth where the Circus Freaks are on trial. To protect from their abilities, they are all contained within a soundproof box (though sound can be permitted at any time by the judge by opening a hole) in addition to Acid Breath wearing a durable muzzle, Frightwig's hair being tied to her back, and Thumbskull wearing tighter handcuffs. We look at the judge as this trial comes to an end and the final jurisdiction has just been announced by the lead juror; the judge finalizes it. Judge: For the first offenses of you three, I sentence you all to 5 years in prison. The smacks his gavel down as two men begin to wheel the trio's box away, within which Acid Breath whispers something to his colleagues. Acid Breath (whispering): First offense that they know of. Frightwig (chuckling at first): We'd be in for life if they knew anything else. Thumbskull: Heh heh, yeah. end on Thumbskull, Frightwig, and Acid Breath being put into their cells. While Acid Breath and Thumbskull are, for whatever reason, placed within the same cell, Frightwig is left with someone of her own to deal with, a tall and buff blonde. She bangs her head on one of the powers, saying one thing to herself. Frightwig (to herself): Five years, kid, and we will get you. Or at least I will. OF PART I 'Part II' Characters *Ben Tennyson (12 year old) *Gwen Tennyson (12 year old) *Max Tennyson (62 year old) *Plumbers (brief) Villains *Zs'Skayr (arrested) *Circus Freak Trio **Frightwig **Acid Breath **Thumbskull Aliens Used (by Ben) *Benvicktor (first re-appearance by 12 year old Ben) Spells Used (By Gwen) *Unsquiera Despariot Trivia *Frightwig bears a "Kyael Mors" bag, which is a parody of the real-world Michael Kors bags. Category:Short Episodes Category:Episodes Category:BiA Exclusive Episodes Category:Ben 10: Alien Universe Chronology Category:Shorts